NFL Draft News Feed – Page 211 – Priced Out of the Citi

Pro Day: Jermaine Cunningham By The Numbers

Florida defensive end/linebacker Jermaine Cunningham, of Stephenson High, had a fine showing at his pro day workout last week before suffering a first degree quadriceps strain.

Here are the vitals:
<br Nine feet, 10.5 inches in the broad jump.<br Thirty-five inches vertical jump.<br The Stephenson High product ran a 1.57 seconds in the 10 yard split, which is a super time.<br He ran a 4.92 seconds in the 40-yard dash, suffering the strain while running.<br After pulling the quad, he didn’t run the cone drill.<br Cunning did well in the linebacker drills and defensive end drills as he fought through the quad injury.

A total of 20 teams were on hand for his workout. Some of the teams included Miami, Minnesota, New York Jets, Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Kansas City, New York Giants, Detroit, Green Bay,

Bryan Bulaga Discusses Thyroid Condition

Early in his junior season last fall, Iowa offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga was stricken with a viral infection in his thyroid that caused fatigue, a loss of stamina and an increased heart rate. He missed three games and lost 10 pounds before returning to the lineup at left tackle. The first question Bulaga has heard from nearly every team considering him in the first round of the NFL draft was about his thyroid condition.

“It was a three-week thing that ran its course and now it’s gone,” Bulaga said at the NFL combine. “I’ve been checked by doctors at the Mayo Clinic and by my doctor at the University of Iowa, both endocrinologists. I’ve been cleared by both of them.

“Teams just ask me what it is, is it a lingering effect? My agent has sent out a statement from both doctors to every team doctor. I don’t

NFL: Laveranues Coles Could Land In Cleveland

Terry Pluto, of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, reports if former Jets and Bengals receiver Laveranues Coles still is looking for work this summer, it wouldn’t be a shock if the Browns give him a look. He was a disappointment with the Bengals, who paid him $9.5 million for 43 catches (29 first downs) and five touchdowns. He played for Mangini, and they have respect for each other. No matter what the Browns say, they need a veteran receiver. Coles is 32.

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NFL: Jets Nab Santonio Holmes

ABC News reports that the New York Jets have traded their fifth-round pick in this year’s draft to the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver Santonio Holmes.

Mancini’s Take: Who saw this coming? GM Mike Tannenbaum and company are out to conquer the NFL and will stop at nothing to bring home a Super Bowl trophy in 2010. Giving up a fifth-round pick for last year’s Super Bowl MVP is incredible. I mean, I’m still waiting for a report denying this deal ever took place. Yes, I’m well aware of the fact that Gang Green is inheriting some warts in the acquisition. The speedy wide out has been accused of domestic abuse in the past and most recently was also cited for throwing a glass in the direction of a woman at a lounge. Although he has been cleared of any wrongdoing in either case, he’s also facing a four-game suspension

NFL: Jets Nab Santonio Holmes

ABC News reports that the New York Jets have traded their fifth-round pick in this year’s draft to the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver Santonio Holmes.

Mancini’s Take: Who saw this coming? GM Mike Tannenbaum and company are out to conquer the NFL and will stop at nothing to bring home a Super Bowl trophy in 2010. Giving up a fifth-round pick for last year’s Super Bowl MVP is incredible. I mean, I’m still waiting for a report denying this deal ever took place. Yes, I’m well aware of the fact that Gang Green is inheriting some warts in the acquisition. The speedy wide out has been accused of domestic abuse in the past and most recently was also cited for throwing a glass in the direction of a woman at a lounge. Although he has been cleared of any wrongdoing in either case, he’s also facing a four-game suspension

Tim Tebow…Special Teams Ace?

The NFL’s master of misinformation Mike Shanahan reportedly identified quarterback Tim Tebow as the type of “worker” and “athlete” that would thrive as a special teams contributor while he gets acclimated to the NFL. Upon hearing of the coach’s thoughts on the decorated signal caller, the first name that came to mind was Scott Frost. For those of you who need a quick refresher, Frost was an option quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the late 90s. He was a fantastic runner, but didn’t have an NFL arm. New York Jets general manager/head coach Bill Parcells was so impressed by the young man’s physical size and tools at the time that he selected him in the third round and turned him into a safety. But although Frost looked the part, it was evident from day one that Frost had neither the instincts nor the lateral agility to defend players in

Baldinger: “McNabb A Flawed Player”

Brian Baldinger on Redskins Quarterback Donovan McNabb, according to the Courier Post:

The Eagles should be ecstatic. I view McNabb as a flawed player, and it was never more apparent than in the back-to-back losses to the Cowboys last season. His flaws will never go away. Andy Reid can finally stop covering up for one of the most overrated quarterbacks in the history of the game.” — Brian Baldinger, NFL Network analyst and former NFL offensive lineman.

Source: Courier Post

Eagles Play Possum In Quarterback Interest

Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg made the trek to Norman, Okla., last month for a bird’s-eye view of the Sooners standout. Asked by The News Journal for his opinion on Bradford, Mornhinweg curiously declined to comment, saying he’d wait until after the draft.

There are also reports that Tim Tebow has caught the Eagles’ attention. Sure, the Eagles attended his pro day, but who didn’t? The Eagles also scouted Fordham’s cannon-armed quarterback John Skelton, who’s not a first-rounder but could go anywhere after.

A team source verified that the Eagles plan to keep Mike Vick for the 2010 season unless another team blows them away with an offer, which isn’t likely to happen.

If Vick isn’t Reid’s vision of an adequate backup, don’t be surprised if the Eagles add two more arms between now and the first spring camp.

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Browns Lurk In Pursuit of Sam Bradford?

The Cleveland Browns have five picks in the first three rounds of the draft, including three in the third round. Their picks overall are seventh, 38th, 71st, 85th and 92nd.

Could the Browns end up being a trade partner with the Rams for the first selection in the draft? It might be a longshot, but don’t automatically dismiss it either. They obviously have the ammunition.

While most believe general manager Billy Devaney is simply being coy by saying the Rams have yet to make up their minds about selecting Bradford because a deal is believed to be highly unlikely, what Holmgren subsequently said opens the door for potential talks with the Rams.

“The only way I was going to take all those early draft picks in rounds 1, 2 and 3 and use them would be for a young draft choice that I thought could be the

Roger Goodell Pushes For Rookie Pay Scale

One of the major changes commissioner Roger Goodell wants in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement is how rookies are compensated. Under the current system, rookies often are awarded bigger contracts than most vets.

And according to Goodell, it’s a flaw that those vets aren’t happy about either. In an interview with Sal Paolantonio, Goodell says players are eager for a change as well.

“Yes, we’ve had a lot of discussion about it and I think there’s a recognition that the system is out of whack. I hear this from veteran players,” Goodell said. “Veteran players want this changed. It’s hard to see a rookie player who hasn’t played in the NFL make that kind of money when guys have performed at a high level on the NFL level. That’s where the money should be going.”

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